GAME 53 RECAP | ‘Caged Kids’ line shines in Blades loss to Wheat Kings
Saskatoon, SK – The affiliate player (AP) line of Triston Mitchell-McElhone, Adam Halat, and Kohen Lodge all tallied a point in the Saskatoon Blades 6-3 loss Monday at SaskTel Centre against the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Mitchell McElhone opened the scoring in the first period with his first career WHL goal in his second game. The Flaxcombe, SK native made his debut Tuesday against the Medicine Hat Tigers before getting reassigned to the Swift Current Legionnaires U18 AAA squad. Mitchell-McElhone was called back up to the big club prior to Monday and made an immediate impact halfway through the opening 20 minutes.
Fellow AP Adam Halat picked up the assist on the goal for his first career WHL point. The 2009-born centre was acquired by the Blades on December 27 from the Calgary Hitmen in exchange for 19-year-old centre Lukas Hansen. Halat made his WHL debut Friday at home against his former team.
Lodge brought the Blades to within 4-3 late in the third period with his third goal of the season. The Red Deer, AB native has played 18 games for the Blue and Gold through different points of the season, scoring three goals and one assist.
The Blades fall to 28-18-3-4 and drop to seventh place in the Eastern Conference with 63 points. Saskatoon trail the East Division’s top Prince Albert Raiders by three points with no games in-hand.
Mitchell-McElhone made it 1-0 Saskatoon with his first career WHL goal in his second career game. The Flaxcombe, SK native ripped a shot past Philadelphia Flyers draft pick Carson Bjarnasion just over halfway through the opening frame.
Triston Mitchell-McElhone has his first career @TheWHL goal!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/77764P7jGO
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) February 17, 2025
Wheat Kings forward Dominik Petr tied the game just over a minute later with his 13th goal of the year. McCallum stopped the remainder of Brandon’s 14 shots through 20 minutes, leaving the game locked at 1-1 heading into the second.
Brandon went ahead 3-1 after another 20 minutes thanks to a pair of goals from forward Joby Baumuller. The Wilcox, SK native scored goals 13 and 14 on the season to put the Wheat Kings up two ahead of the third period.
Veteran forward Rowan Calvert brought the Blades within one 4:15 into the final frame. The Moose Jaw, SK winger tapped home a cross-crease pass from fellow alternate captain Tyler Parr to give him three goals and four assists in his last four games.
Rowan Calvert has three goals and four assists in his last four games! pic.twitter.com/TLrxnrjthY
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) February 18, 2025
Saskatoon native Nolan Flamand put the Wheat Kings just over two minutes later with his 19th goal of the year. The 20-year-old forward leads Brandon in points with 58 points in 52 games.
Lodge’s third goal of the year came with 3:10 left in regulation to pull Saskatoon within one.
The caged kids strike again! pic.twitter.com/5C44KP3Rtx
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) February 18, 2025
The game was put out of reach after back-to-back Brandon empty-net goals. First came courtesy of forward Matteo Michels to make it 5-3, followed by Petr’s second of the game to solidify the final score.
What’s Next?
The Blades visit Lethbridge.com Arena for Wednesday Night in the Dub on February 19. You can catch the game against Winnipeg Jets prospect Brayden Yager and the Lethbridge Hurricanes for free on WHL Live or on the WHL’s YouTube page.
Puck drop is 8:00pm CST.
